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Can I get rabies from an unvaccinated cat scratch if my cat's alive?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Domestic Shorthair | Male | unneutered | 2 years and 1 month old | 3 lbs

My cat scratch me accidentally 1 month ago but the cat is still alive right now does it mean that hes not carriying rabies the time that he scratches me ? He is not afraid of water and always eating and drinking. (He is not vaccinated)

4 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Kevin Sanada, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on April 2nd, 2018

The good news is that rabies is transmitted through bites/saliva and not scratches. If Ming was infected and shedding the rabies virus a month ago, then he would have died from the disease by now. Considering all of this, I think you should be safe, but it's best to consult with your physician if you have any further concerns. Below is a link to more information about rabies.

https://www.cdc.gov/rabies/index.html

I hope that helps and all is well.

2Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Dr. Strydom, DVM
Veterinarian
No, you cannot get rabies from a cat scratch. It doesn't matter if he has been vaccinated or not. He would need to bite you. If he did not bite you then there is no way you can contract rabies. If he did have rabies you both would be dead by now.

There is no way he is a "carrier" of rabies. There is no carrier state - they either have rabies or not.
2Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Lauren Kennedy, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on July 10th, 2017
You will not be able to acquire the rabies virus after being bitten by your cat that has been given the vaccine. The rabies vaccine is usually made from what is called a "killed vaccine" meaning that there are no live virus particles in the vaccine.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Menolly Cote, DVM, CVA
Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist
Published on August 3rd, 2017
I'm sorry to hear of your issues with your cat. I would recommend that you have your cat seen by a veterinarian and have him vaccinated. If he is hunting and has free rein outside, he is at risk for contracting rabies and other diseases. I would also recommend contacting your doctor as rabies vaccinations may need to be boosted in this situation and cat bites often require antibiotics. I would also discuss with your veterinarian ways to improve your cat's behavior. While it is not unusual for a cat to bite and scratch in the course of play, it is not acceptable for them to cause wounds.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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Can I get rabies from my vaccinated cat after a stray scratched it?

You should contact the health department or animal control in your area regarding your bite - they might recommend a quarantine for your cat to be sure there is no concern for rabies. No vaccine is 100% effective so while it is unlikely that the unvaccinated cat could transmit rabies to your cat it is possible. You should also probably contact your physician - cat bites often get infected!

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Can a kitten transmit rabies from a scratch if it's healthy now?

There's never anything wrong for seeking reassurance, particularly with something as serious as rabies. Rabies is transmitted through saliva, so scratches are not a major concern with respect to rabies transmission. That said, it's never wrong to take extra precautions to quarantine for 10 days. The reason the quarantine is 10 days long is that if an animal is infected with rabies and is actively secreting the virus through its saliva, it would be severely neurologically impaired or dead by the end of the 10 day period. At this point, both you and the kitten are in the clear!

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Can a cat scratch cause rabies? What human foods are safe for cats?

Hello, this is a question best asked of a physician, not a veterinarian. In general, rabies is not transmitted by scratches as the virus is contained within the saliva. There is always a very small chance that some of the cats saliva was on your skin & the scratch drove it into the tissues, but this is very unlikely. Was the cat acting in a wild & unexplained way? There is a difference in a cat that may scratch out of fear or being defensive vs. being in the furious stage of rabies infection. I assume that the rabies vaccine that you speak of was for you, correct? If so, follow your physicians recommendations, but again, a scratch is very unlikely to infect you with the virus. Cats can be fed minimum amounts of human food, & this includes just about any meat, fish or vegetable we eat. Cats require specific amino acids in their diet which they get from fortified pet ( cat ) foods & hunting, so receiving only human food may not provide everything a cat needs. Make sure your cat eats some regular dry or wet cat food daily. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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My cat bit me. Am I safe from rabies if it's alive after 10 days?

Yes, it is true that an animal that can transmit rabies will die within 10 days. The animal is typically placed on a 10 day quarantine after the bite. If the animal lives beyond the 10th day, it was not shedding the rabies virus at the time that the bite occurred. Here is a link with more information. https://www.americanhumane.org/fact-sheet/rabies-facts-prevention-tips/ If you have any concerns with your health then you should contact your physician or local health department.

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My kitten died after rabies shot. Could I get rabies from her scratch?

I am so sorry for the loss of your poor kitty. Her symptoms don't suggest she got infected with Rabies, but instead I suspect she was having a severe anaphylactic reaction to the vaccine, especially since her symptoms started within 24 hrs of her immunizations. The Rabies vaccine is NOT a live virus, so pets can't get rabies from the vaccine. Also even if a pet has a particular vaccine in the past, this does not mean they can't have a reaction in the future unfortunately. Also since the Rabies vaccine has clinically been shown to last a bit longer than the 1 year mark, your pet was likely still protected. Again I am sorry your pet was not able to recover from this sudden turn of events. I send my condolences to you and your family through this difficult time. And unless Scruff was exposed to a rabid animal within 10 days of being symptomatic, then rabies transmission is very unlikely, unless there is more to the story than what you have mentioned here. Feel free to request a private consultation if you need to discuss things further. Best wishes and take care.

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Can I get rabies if my vaccinated cat scratched me after bat exposure?

Unfortunately, that would be a question for your physician since we are unqualified to comment on problems with people. It sounds like you went to the ER and they determined that there was no need for post-exposure prophylaxis. You could double check with the public health department in your area to make sure. I would think that it would be very unlikely that your cat would have clawed the bat in the mouth and then immediately clawed you to transmit rabies. In the future, keep in mind that a bat can be tested for rabies if there is concern about exposure to people.

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What's the rabies risk from a cat bite versus a cat scratch?

The rabies virus is transmitted through bodily fluids such as saliva, so there would be a higher chance of contracting it from a bite. But any wound which comes into contact with saliva would be a risk.

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